Just about all of us have had the occasion where spilled food or beverage has ruined a shirt, tie, dress, blouse or other apparel. Whether the spill was caused by extremely messy food or just a simple accident, the outcome is always the same: the clothing must be cleaned and/or changed. This not only consumes valuable time, it results in higher cleaning costs and additional wear and tear on the clothing. If the clothing should be permanently stained, the cost to replace the item increases greatly. Additionally, those who frequently soil clothing, such as the elderly, the physically disabled, or those with diminished coordination skills must bear correspondingly higher cleaning costs. Finally, many clothes are ruined during hair care and beauty treatments commonly performed in a beauty shop. Such damage occurs when water, chemicals, and other liquids get underneath the vinyl protector and contact the clothing. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which soiled clothing resulting from food or beverage spills, or as a result of hair care and beauty treatments, can be avoided in a simple, easy and effective manner. The development of the invention herein fulfills this need.
The present invention is an adult bib comprising a soft absorbent material such as terry cloth that fastens about a neck of a user with the aid of a fastener system. The bib comprises a towel cape, a cape absorbent layer, a cape liquid repellent layer, a first flap, a second flap, a neck band, a neck band absorbent layer, a neck band liquid repellant layer, a neck strip, a hook fastener, and a loop fastener. The cape absorbent layer and the neck band absorbent layer are comprised of a soft, absorbent material such as terry cloth or the like. The cape liquid repellent layer, and the neck band liquid repellant layer, are comprised of material such as, but not limited to: vinyl, Gortex®, or the like. The neck band has hook-and-loop fasteners such as Velcro® attached to the distal ends such that the hook fastener is sewn onto one end and a loop fastener is sewn onto the other end. However, it may also have fasteners such as, but not limited to: metal hook fasteners, magnetic fasteners, snap fasteners, or the like. The fasteners allow the bib to be fastened around the neck of a user. The neck band has a neck band absorbent layer and a neck band liquid repellent layer sewn together such that the neck band absorbent layer is on the outside. A neck strip comprised of materials such as vinyl is sewn to the neck band absorbent layer on to the outside of the neck band and covers the portion of the neck band that is over the user's back when the bib is in place; however, other materials similar to vinyl may be used. The towel cape and the neck band are sewn together such that the ends of the neck band extend beyond the inside edge of the first flap and the inside edge of the second flap and the cape absorbent layer and the neck band absorbent layer are on one side and the cape liquid repellent layer and the neck band liquid repellent layer are on the opposite side. The cape absorbent layer and the cape liquid repellant layer are also sewn together along the inside edge of the first flap and the inside edge of the second flap from the neck band down to the bottom edge of the first flap and to the bottom edge of the second flap. The cape absorbent layer and the cape liquid repellant layer are also sewn together for approximately half way along the outside edge of the first flap, starting at the bottom edge of the first flap, and approximately half way along the outside edge of the second flap, starting at the bottom edge of the second flap. The bib is perfect for eating messy foods in the home, in restaurants or in locations where eating is awkward such as in the car. It is also ideal for the elderly, the physically disabled, or others with diminished coordination that may frequently soil their clothes while eating. The use of the present invention provides a simple and time-proven solution for clothing that is soiled while eating.
Several attempts have been made in the past to provide adult bibs. U.S. Pat. No. 6,868,554, issued in the name of Melvin, describes a hair salon accessory garment for directing hair and water downwardly and away from a user's neck. Unlike the present invention, the Melvin device has an inner layer separate from an outer layer. Furthermore, there are no absorbent or repellant layers on the neck portion of the Melvin device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,799, issued in the name of Davies, discloses a neck protector apparatus comprising a cushioned pad to protect a user's head from a salon sink. However, the Davies apparatus serves a different purpose then the present invention and does not protect a user's clothing from water and other liquids during shampooing and other hair and beauty treatments.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,753, issued in the name of Perez, discloses a cape for hair cutting which prevents cut hair from clogging the neck closure and has resiliently connected toys inside to occupy children while they get their hair cut. The Perez device only shields the neck opening of the cape from having loose cut hair from becoming lodged therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,740, issued in the name of Geniesse, discloses a garment for protecting clothing. However, the Geniesse garment does not disclose a garment having an absorbent layer sewn together with a liquid impermeable layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,777, issued in the name of Fowler et al., discloses a protective cover for use in hair salons wherein a small separate top cover is secured about a person's neck at a position above the collar portion of a hair dressing cape. However, the Fowler et al. cover only has a waterproof material and does not have both an absorbent layer and a liquid repellant layer sewn together.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,980, issued in the name of Brison et al., discloses a protecting garment used in hairdressing salons comprising an overall or cape wrapped around a user's body and a towel adapted to the overall. However, the Brison et al. garment only has the absorbent towel layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,364, issued in the name of Fenninger et al., discloses a disposable towel for hairdressing salons and beauty parlors. However, unlike the present invention, the Fenninger et al. patent is a disposable towel.
None of the prior art particularly describes a bib designed to be placed underneath a vinyl protector commonly used in beauty salons during shampooing and other hair and beauty treatments to protect a user's clothing from spills and mishaps comprising a soft absorbent material such as terry cloth that fastens about a neck of a user with the aid of a fastener system. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which soiled clothing resulting from food or beverage spills, or as a result of hair care and beauty treatments, can be avoided in a simple, easy and effective manner without the disadvantages as described above.